All IDF troops withdraw from Jenin as operation finishes

The streets were deserted. 

To the extent that there were streets.

Multiple streets that the Jerusalem Post and a small group of military reporters viewed as part of an embed with IDF troops going deep into the heart of Jenin on Tuesday afternoon had been blown up or carved up, depending on whether they had been bulldozed or set off by the IDF's bomb squads.

Then again, only a few meters away, there were streets which appeared mostly untouched.

All IDF troops have left Jenin as the Israeli military operation in the West Bank Palestinian city has completed, its goals having been achieved, IDF spokesperson Brig.-Gen. Daniel Hagari said Wednesday morning.

This follows days of fighting in the northern West Bank city, where the IDF sought to neutralize terrorist infrastructure. 

The operation saw condemnation from the Gaza-based Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, who launched five rockets into southern Israel early Wednesday morning. The IDF responded to this by striking several Hamas targets throughout the Gaza Strip. 

Following the operation's conclusion, Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh issued a statement, saying that Israel's operation in Jenin was a failure. 

"Israel failed and was defeated in Jenin," Haniyeh said, according to Maariv. Despite the many casualties suffered in Jenin, Haniyeh said that this "Taught the enemy a lesson and caused them to suffer heavy losses."

This is a developing story.

IDF soldier St.-Sgt. David Yehuda Yitzhak was killed by gunfire amid clashes in the Jenin refugee camp on Tuesday evening, according to the IDF Spokesperson's Unit.

Yitzhak, 23, was a resident of the Beit El settlement in the West Bank's Binyamin region.

The head of the Beit El local council, Shay Alon, issued a statement eulogizing Yitzhak.

"The residents of Beit El mourn the death of David Yehuda Yitzhak during operational activity in Jenin," Alon said.

"[He was] an Egoz Unit soldier, the eldest son of Moshe and Emuna, and a brother to six brothers and sisters. Our hearts are with the heavy loss of his family upon learning the bitter news. 'O nations, acclaim God’s people! For He’ll avenge the blood of His servants, wreak vengeance on His foes, and cleanse His people’s land.'"

Yitzhak's funeral will be held on Wednesday, July 5, at the IDF cemetery on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem. His family has requested that there be no media coverage of the funeral.

Rocket sirens sounded in and near Sderot in southern Israel on Tuesday night.

IDF Chief Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Daniel Hagari on Tuesday said that the military's massive operation in Jenin could end faster than initially expected, even within a matter of days. Other IDF officials suggested the same to the Jerusalem Post and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dropped similar hints later Tuesday.

In an update early Tuesday, Hagari described how the operation had already achieved most of its goals and with less resistance or side complications than intelligence had estimated. He also noted that Gaza's terror groups had stayed out of the fight.

Israeli forces began their withdrawal from the Jenin refugee camp on Tuesday night, according to IDF sources. The withdrawal came with renewed clashes and an exchange of fire outside of Khalil Suleiman Government Hospital in the refugee camp. 

A total of 12 Palestinians were killed during the operation, according to Israeli media citing Palestinian sources. 

Israel will continue broad military raids targeting terrorists in Palestinian cities, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, visiting the IDF’s forward base for commanding the operation in Jenin on Tuesday.

Netanyahu praised IDF soldiers for destroying “many terrorist infrastructures” in Jenin, preventing many terrorist attacks.

One recipe for a successful military operation is to clearly define goals beforehand, accomplish them, and then end the operation before expanding those goals and risking getting bogged down.

As of Tuesday evening, Operation Home and Garden – based on these criteria – can be considered successful.

The stated goal was to target the terrorist infrastructure in Jenin and degrade the terrorists’ capabilities.

Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi recently made a statement about the current operation in Jenin, stating: "We know how to enter wherever we want, whenever required, and at the time we choose. There will be no safe haven for terrorists - whoever escaped today, we will make sure to find them tomorrow.

"I met with the forces on the ground yesterday and today - young and old, regular [army] and reservists - motivated and eager to perform their duties with great professionalism in a very impressive manner."

Armed men in the Jenin refugee camp initiated an exchange of fire with Israeli security forces on Tuesday evening, according to Israelismedia.

The gunmen reportedly fired at the troops from inside a hospital in the refugee camp. 

This is the first time there has been such an exchange of fire in the camp.